Methods and apparatuses for sports training

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for holding in place a ball. The apparatus includes a vacuum generating device connected to one end of a flexible tubing, a hollow rod of adjustable length containing part of the flexible tubing, and a vacuum cup connected to an opposite end of the flexible tubing, such that vacuum applied to the vacuum cup holds in place a ball when a surface of the ball is contacted to the vacuum cup. A method of holding a ball in place includes generating a vacuum using a vacuum generating equipment, inserting a flexible tubing through a hollow rod, connecting one end of the flexible tubing to the vacuum generating equipment, connecting an opposite end of the flexible tubing to a vacuum cup, and placing a surface of a ball in contact with the vacuum cup, thereby holding the ball in place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for sports training, and more particularly to portable training apparatuses for training individuals in sports that utilize a ball.

In the field of sports, it is well recognized that extensive practice is required of certain sports actions and techniques, such as but not limited to hitting a ball with a hand, a bat, a racquet of some kind, or some other implement. For purposes of this disclosure, a ball is meant to be any of various objects used in games and sports, including but is not limited to baseballs, volleyballs, tennis balls, etc. Furthermore, according to this disclosure, the shape of a ball is not limited to a spherical shape, and instead can include other shapes, for example, a football of the type used in the game of American football, as played in USA. Coaches and others can facilitate the practice of a particular sports action by repeatedly throwing a ball to the practicing player. In order to gain proficiency in a variety of situations, it is necessary to alter the height, angle, etc., (hereinafter collectively referred to as a parameter or as parameters) of the ball relative to the player as it is being presented to the player.

Presenting a ball with different parameters to a player manually requires skill to change the parameters. Furthermore, repeatedly presenting a ball in this manner can be tedious. Hence machines that accomplish this purpose without continuous manual intervention have been developed. Such machines include, for example, tennis ball throwing machines and baseball pitching machines. Other automated units also exist. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,921 to Eustice et al. describes supporting a ball by an airstream, and particularly describes the simulation of pitching a baseball. A vacuum hoisting device that requires a track/railing system has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,500 to Wicen, The device occupies a relatively large amount of space and is more suited to move flat and/or smooth objects, for example, tile, shipping boxes, etc.

Other machines capable of presenting a ball to a player utilize a stick with a foam finger that pinches the ball. Still other machines load a number of balls into a basket before being delivered to foam fingers. Limitations of these types of machines include the difficulty of loading the next ball after a previous ball has been hit, slow loading speeds that can interfere with the activity, the difficult or inability to accommodate an under-deflated ball, the difficult or inability to accommodate different ball sizes, and the difficult or inability to accommodate various material types (leather, plastic, etc.). In addition, foam fingers limit the surface area over which a ball can be struck from different angles (relative to different axes of the ball), and therefore imposes limits on training and hitting techniques.

In view of the above, there is an ongoing need for methods and apparatuses for sports training that are capable of presenting a ball to a practicing player, handling different types of balls used in sports, and presenting a ball at different angles to a player.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for sports training, and more particularly to portable training apparatuses for training individuals in sports that utilize a ball.

An apparatus for presenting a ball to a player comprises a hollow rod of adjustable length, a flexible tubing that is received so that first and second ends of the flexible tubing extend from opposite ends of the hollow rod, a vacuum generating device connected to the first end of the flexible tubing, and a vacuum cup connected to the second end of the flexible tubing, such that a vacuum generated by the vacuum generating device is applied through the flexible tubing to the vacuum cup to hold in place a ball when a surface of the ball is contacted to the vacuum cup.

A method of presenting a ball to a player comprises placing a flexible tubing in a hollow rod of adjustable length so that first and second ends of the flexible tubing extend from opposite ends of the hollow rod, connecting a vacuum generating device to the first end of the flexible tubing, connecting a vacuum cup to the second end of the flexible tubing, and generating a vacuum with the vacuum generating device so that the vacuum is applied through the flexible tubing to the vacuum cup to hold in place a ball when a surface of the ball is contacted to the vacuum cup.

A technical effect of the invention is the ability of the apparatus to secure and present a variety of types of balls to allow players and other athletes to practice a sports action or technique, such as but not limited to hitting a ball with a hand, a bat, a racquet, or other implement.

Another technical effect of the invention is the ability of the apparatus to accommodate and present balls of different types, shapes, sizes, and geometries and under various conditions of inflation, and present balls at different angles to a player.

Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be appreciated from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

While some of the figures shown herein may have been generated from scaled drawings or from photographs that are scalable, it is understood that such relative scaling within a figure is by way of example, and is not to be construed as limiting.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a nonlimiting embodiment of an apparatus of this disclosure presenting a ball to a player.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of another nonlimiting embodiment of an apparatus of this disclosure for presenting a ball to a player.

FIG. 3 is a diagram depicting six axes of an object and illustrates how an object presented by either the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be struck by a player at different angles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated apparatus, and such further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates.

The present disclosure relates to sports training apparatuses and their uses. More particularly, the present disclosure describes methods and apparatuses for suspending and presenting athletic equipment for training sports athletes and sports enthusiasts. As a matter of convenience, the following disclosure will make specific references to balls and other sports objects as nonlimiting examples of athletic equipment capable of being presented with the apparatuses. The methods and apparatuses described in this disclosure are not limited to coaching and training but can be employed for use in many other applications such as but not limited to assessment and learning of sports abilities, teaching proper technique, educational purposes, repetitive training, and conditioned application. As used herein, conditioning means conditioning the correct body form for striking an object, for example a ball, to achieve a desired result. It should be stressed that while most sports balls are generally spherical in design, the methods and apparatuses of this disclosure can be designed for objects with other shapes, including prolate and oblate spheroids.

Training apparatuses of this disclosure use vacuum technology instead of more conventional manual placement with human hand. A sports training apparatus according to a nonlimiting embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows the apparatus as utilizing vacuum to suspend an object for various training purposes. Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a vacuum cup 10 connected to a flexible hose or tubing 12 made of a material such as but not limited to polyethylene or polyurethane. Polyurethane is very flexible, resists cracks and punctures, tolerates cold temperatures, and is resistant to mold and chemicals. Polyethylene is generally not as flexible as polyurethane, but still sufficiently flexible for use as the material for the flexible tubing 12. In addition, polyethylene resists moisture, is resistant to cracks and punctures, possesses good strength, and is resistant to corrosion. As such, polyethylene and polyurethane are particularly good candidates for the flexible tubing 12, though the use of other materials is foreseeable. The apparatus further comprises a vacuum source 14 and a hollow rod 16 whose length can be adjusted and through which the flexible tubing 12 runs. In the nonlimiting embodiment of FIG. 1, the vacuum source 14 comprises an air compressor 18 and a vacuum ejector 20. By way of illustration, FIG. 1 also shows a volleyball 22 as an object presented by the apparatus and secured to the vacuum cup 10 as a result of the volleyball 22 being in contact with the cup 10 to create a vacuum seal therewith. A nonlimiting example of an adjustable hollow rod 16 is one that lends itself to telescoping.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the compressor 18 is shown connected to the flexible tubing 12 via the vacuum ejector 20. As known in the art, a vacuum ejector is a device for generating vacuum by discharging compressed air from a nozzle at a high rate of speed, based on the Venturi effect in which pressure is reduced when air compressed by the compressor 18 flows through a nozzle. As the air expands and flows, it creates a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, in effect, a vacuum relative to the surrounding air. Both the supply air and vacuum flow exhausts into the atmosphere. Vacuum ejector venturis are ideal for fast cyclic applications and are operable in a wide range of operating temperature environments. Vacuum ejectors have further advantages such as minimal maintenance (since there are no moving parts), not easily contaminated, and easy to clean. Due to their simplicity, they are also relative low cost. Nonetheless, other vacuum sources could be used, for example, single or multistage vacuum pumps that pump air directly from an evacuated chamber. Compressors, vacuum ejectors, and vacuum pumps are widely commercially available and can be selected by one of ordinary skill in the art.

The vacuum cup 10 is attached to the end of the flexible tubing 12 that is opposite to the end of the flexible tubing 12 connected to the vacuum source 14, such that an internal passage within the flexible tubing 12 transmits to the vacuum cup 10 the vacuum generated by the vacuum source 14. The vacuum cup 10 is preferably configured to be readily replaceable in the event the cup 10 needs to be replaced due to wear or damage. For this purpose, the vacuum cup 10 may be connected to the flexible tubing 12 with a fitting (not shown) that allows for exchanging a worn vacuum cup 10 as well as replacing the installed cup 10 with a replacement cup 10 having a different size or diameter. The size of the vacuum cup 10 (for example, diameter of the cup 10 if it has a circular cross-section) can be varied depending on the size of the ball intended to be presented to a player.

A particular but nonlimiting cup design has grooved or corrugated flexible walls so as to resemble a bellows. This shape is particularly useful for securing objects that might have surface variations (even slight imperceptible variations), and a flexible design allows for good sealing surface with many objects. A cup design that lacks flexible walls may be suitable for relatively flat objects or objects with a relatively flat surface. Various materials can be selected for the cup 10, as nonlimiting examples, nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), silicone rubber, urethane rubber, fluoroelastomers/fluororubbers (such as FKM), and vinyl. NBR is a particularly suitable material considering its relatively low cost, resistance to oil, high wear resistance, high durability, and high resistance to weather and cracking. Silicone rubber offers high heat resistance and resistance to cold temperatures, urethane rubber offers excellent mechanical strength, and FKM offers heat resistance, good chemical resistance, and resistance to wear and tear. Consequently, suitable materials for the vacuum cup 10 can take into account the shape of the object to be secured and presented, the environment in which the apparatus will be used, and the ability to sustain a vacuum.

In operation, a ball, for example, a volleyball 22, is placed in contact with the vacuum cup 10 and the vacuum source 14 (e.g., compressor 18 and ejector 20) is powered by a suitable power supply (not shown in FIG. 1) to create a vacuum in the flexible tubing 12, which in turn creates suction within the interior of the vacuum cup 10. This suction creates a force at the rim of the cup 10 that, if sufficient, will secure a volleyball 22 to the cup 10. The hollow rod 16 and the position of the flexible tubing 12 therein can be used in combination to adjust the spatial position of the vacuum cup 10 and a ball attached thereto per the needs of a player. The vacuum cup 10 represented in FIG. 1 is sufficiently flexible to accommodate numerous surfaces for lifting objects such as volleyballs, baseballs, footballs, etc.

The vacuum level generated by the vacuum source 14 can be adjusted to secure the ball being used, based mainly on the mass of the ball. In experiments leading to this disclosure, vacuum levels in the range of about −40 kPa (kilopascal) to about −80 kPa were created at the cup/ball interface using a compressor (0.5 HP) and a vacuum ejector. The vacuum ejector achieved vacuum levels of about −40 kPa with the compressor operating at about 30 to about 40 psi and an approximate flow rate of about 37 liters/minute (about 1.3 CFM). From the investigations, it was concluded that the compressor should operate at approximately 30 to 40 psi and a minimum flow rate of about 1.2 CFM (about 34 liters/minute).

In experiments leading to this disclosure, a volleyball having a mass in the range of about 260 to 280 grams was held by the vacuum cup 10 with a vacuum in the range of about −40 kPa to −80 kPa. Other examples from experiments leading to this disclosure include a softball of mass in the range of about 178 to 198 grams held with a vacuum level in the range of about −40 kPa to −80 kPa

The compressor 18 requires an electrical power source (not shown in FIG. 1), and accordingly the apparatus of this disclosure is preferably used under safe conditions, whether indoors or outdoors.

FIG. 2 shows an adjustable hollow rod 16, flexible tubing 12, and vacuum cup 10 in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 illustrates a volleyball 22 held in place near a net 24 by the vacuum cup 10, which is attached to the flexible tubing 12 protruding from the adjustable hollow rod 16. As in the previous embodiment, a vacuum is created in the flexible tubing 12 and vacuum cup 10 by a suitable vacuum source 14. The adjustable hollow rod 16 and the length of flexible tubing 12 extending therefrom can be used to vary the position and height of the ball relative to a player, and the flexible tubing 12 can be extended from and retracted into the hollow rod 16 to allow for dynamic adjustments relative to the player. The apparatus and its operation can be adapted to accommodate variations in the shape, weight, material, and structural aspects of the ball being held in place. For example, volleyballs can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and numerous variations are possible for a variety of reasons, such as indoor or outdoor use, materials (for example, leather, nylon, cotton, synthetic leather, plastic, etc.), mass, textures and multi-panel designs, and different sizes (circumferences) for children, junior, high school, and professional. There may also be shape and size variations from a manufacturer. The apparatuses depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be adjusted to hold in place all the varieties mentioned above, as well as underinflated and overinflated balls. The apparatuses depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 can also be used to secure and present various other types of balls to a player, such as but not limited to baseballs, softballs, and soccer balls. These balls can vary dynamically by circumference, material construction, mass, and internal pressure, but still be amenable for use with the methods and apparatuses of this disclosure. The vacuum cup 10 can be sufficiently flexible to dynamically conform to almost any surface to create a vacuum seal.

It should be recognized that an advantage of the apparatus described in this disclosure is that it allows 5-axis degrees of freedom for contact striking (as represented in FIG. 3, objects have six axes: X, Y, and Z axes, and their opposites). Suspending any sphere from the vacuum cup 10 will naturally cause the cup 10 to be located centrally along the positive z-axis of the sphere because of the sphere's circular shape. In other words, a vacuum cup secured to a volleyball at Axis 1 will result in the volleyball hanging centrally aligned with that axis. For odd shaped balls like a football, depending on where the cup 10 is adhered, the ball may or may not hang centrally aligned with the axis at which the vacuum cup 10 is adhered.

Another advantage is that the contact area of the cup 10 with a ball may be a small fraction of the total surface area of the ball, for example, preferably less than 5%, such as about 1.5% for a standard volleyball, thereby creating a substantially realistic situation as perceived by the athlete. The apparatus of this disclosure has the further advantage of being portable and providing flexibility in placement locations. It can be seen that from the adjustable rod 16 and flexible tubing 12 combination there are innumerable configurations possible for the placement of the ball to be presented to a wide variety of players. It is also possible to interchange balls with ease. For example, a baseball held in place can be replaced by a soccer ball or volleyball.

It should be recognized that this disclosure is not to be limited to securing and presenting a specific ball to a specific player. In general, essentially any ball that needs to be held in place can be achieved utilizing the equipment of this disclosure by altering the design of the vacuum cup 10 and/or the level of vacuum as desired to accommodate the ball.

It should be noted that baseballs may be held in place as required for striking with a bat during an indoor training session. The apparatus and method could be used for baseball outdoors, but as mentioned power would need to be safely provided to the compressor 18. Another advantage the apparatuses and methods of this disclosure offer is a very compact and portable size as compared to other training equipment. It is clearly desirable to offer flexibility, durability, and portability with training equipment. Thus, the apparatus of this disclosure offers a full range of attack positions for athletes practicing with an object such as a ball. Additionally the athletes can strike the athletic equipment with 100% power.

Based on the above detailed description, an apparatus for holding a ball in place for presentation to a player can be described as comprising a vacuum generating device connected to a flexible tubing 12 that is partially located within a hollow rod 16 of adjustable length so that one end of the flexible tubing 12 protrudes from and is connected to the vacuum generating device and an opposite end of the flexible tubing 12 protrudes from and is connected to a vacuum cup 10, such that a vacuum can be applied to the vacuum cup 10 to hold a ball in place against the cup 10 by contacting a surface of the ball with the cup 10. In some embodiments, the vacuum generating device comprises a compressor 18 and a vacuum ejector 20. Materials suitable for the hollow rod 16 include but are not limited to wood, aluminum, anodized aluminum, plastic, an aluminum and fiberglass combination, fiberglass, steel, a foam and plastic combination, an aluminum and plastic combination, carbon fiber, and polyethylene. Materials suitable for the flexible tubing 12 include but are not limited to polyurethane, nylon, silicone, PVC, ethyl vinyl, VITON®, FKM, TYGON®, PFA, PTFE, and vinyl. Materials suitable for the vacuum cup 10 include but are not limited to NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber), FKM (fluororubber), silicone rubber, vinyl, urethane rubber, mark free NBR, CR (chloroprene rubber), and EPR (ethylene-propylene rubber) In particular embodiments, the ball is a volleyball. Other balls suitable for use with this apparatus include but are not limited to soccer balls, basque pilota, cricket balls, footballs, rugby balls, handballs, baseballs, hockey pucks, hockey balls, tennis balls, hurling balls, lacrosse balls, basketballs, netballs, newcomb balls, pelota mixteca, racquet balls, sepak takraw balls, shinty balls, tchoukballs, and tee balls.

Based on the above detailed description, a method of presenting a ball to a player can be described as comprising inserting a flexible tubing 12 through an adjustable hollow rod 16, connecting one end of the flexible tubing 12 to vacuum generating equipment, connecting an opposite end of the flexible tubing 12 to a vacuum cup 10, generating a vacuum with the vacuum generating equipment, and placing a surface of a ball in contact with the vacuum cup 10 such that the vacuum generated within the cup 10 holds the ball in place. In some embodiments of the method, the vacuum generating equipment comprises a compressor 18 and a vacuum ejector 20. In some embodiments of the method, the hollow rod 16 of adjustable length is made of aluminum or anodized aluminum, wood, plastic, aluminum and fiberglass combinations, fiberglass, steel, foam and plastic combinations, aluminum and plastic combinations, or carbon fiber. In some embodiments of the method, the flexible tubing 12 is made of polyethylene, polyurethane, nylon, silicone, PVC, ethyl vinyl, VITON®, FKM, TYGON®, PFA, or PTFE. In some embodiments of the method, the vacuum cup 10 is made of NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber), FKM (fluororubber), silicone rubber, vinyl, urethane rubber, mark free NBR, CR (chloroprene rubber), or EPR (ethylene-propylene rubber) In particular embodiments, the ball is a volleyball. Other balls suitable for use with this method include but are not limited to soccer balls, basque pilota, cricket balls, footballs, rugby balls, handballs, baseballs, hockey pucks, hockey balls, tennis balls, hurling balls, lacrosse balls, basketballs, netballs, newcomb balls, pelota mixteca, racquet balls, sepak takraw balls, shinty balls, tchoukballs, and tee balls.

It should be recognized that the methods and apparatuses of this method are versatile in that in addition to being usable with many different types of balls, they are also suitable for use by trainers and experts as a tool for assessing improvement. Coaches and trainers can vary the challenge to the trainee by adjusting the height and strike angles or attack angles (depending on the sport) to suit the level of the trainee.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, other methods of vacuum generation are possible. Similarly many designs of the vacuum cup 10 are possible. As mentioned earlier, the adjustable rod-flexible tubing configurations are too many to be listed. Thus, the implementations should not be limited to the particular limitations described. Other implementations may be possible. It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, this disclosure is limited only by the following claims. 

1. An apparatus for holding in place a ball, the apparatus comprising: a flexible tubing; a vacuum generating device comprising a compressor and a vacuum ejector connected to a first end of the flexible tubing; a hollow rod of adjustable length containing part of the flexible tubing, and a vacuum cup connected to a second end of the flexible tubing, such that when a vacuum is applied by the compressor and the vacuum ejector to the vacuum cup through the flexible tubing, the ball is held in place by contacting a surface of the ball to the vacuum cup so as to present the ball to a player, wherein the combination of the rod of adjustable length and the flexible tubing is capable of a plurality of configurations that adjust the position and height of the ball relative to the player to allow 5-axis degrees of freedom for contact striking the ball.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hollow rod of adjustable length is made of aluminum.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hollow rod of adjustable length is made of wood, aluminum, anodized aluminum, plastic, an aluminum and fiberglass combination, fiberglass, steel, a foam and plastic combination, an aluminum and plastic combination, or carbon fiber.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible tubing is made of polyethylene.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible tubing is made of one of polyurethane, silicone, PVC, ethyl vinyl, and vinyl.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vacuum cup is made of nitrile butadiene rubber.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vacuum cup is made of one of fluororubber, silicone rubber, vinyl, urethane rubber, chloroprene rubber, and ethylene-propylene rubber.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ball is a volleyball, soccer ball, basque pilota, cricket ball, football, rugby ball, handball, baseball, hockey puck, hockey ball, tennis ball, hurling ball, lacrosse ball, basketball, netball, newcomb ball, pelota mixteca, racquet ball, sepak takraw ball, shinty ball, tchoukball, or tee ball.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vacuum generated by the vacuum generating device is in a range of −40 kPa to −80 kPa measured at the ball.
 11. A method of presenting a ball to a player, the method comprising: inserting a flexible tubing through a hollow rod of adjustable length; connecting a first end of the flexible tubing to vacuum generating equipment comprising a compressor and a vacuum ejector; connecting a second end of the flexible tubing to a vacuum cup; generating a vacuum with the compressor and the vacuum ejector; adjusting length and position of the hollow rod and position of the flexible tubing to position the vacuum cup at a desired location; and placing a surface of a ball in contact with the vacuum cup such that the vacuum holds the ball in place and the position and height of the ball are adjusted relative to the player to allow 5-axis degrees of freedom for contact striking the ball.
 12. (canceled)
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the hollow rod of adjustable length is made of aluminum.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the hollow rod of adjustable length is made of wood, aluminum, anodized aluminum, plastic, an aluminum and fiberglass combination, fiberglass, steel, a foam and plastic combination, an aluminum and plastic combination, or carbon fiber.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the flexible tubing is made of polyethylene.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the flexible tubing is made of one of polyurethane, silicone, PVC, ethyl vinyl, and vinyl.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein, the vacuum cup is made of nitrile butadiene rubber.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the vacuum cup is made of one of fluororubber, silicone rubber, vinyl, urethane rubber, chloroprene rubber, and ethylene-propylene rubber.
 19. The method of claim 11, wherein the, the ball is a volleyball. soccer ball, basque pilota, cricket ball, football, rugby ball, handball, baseball, hockey puck, hockey ball, tennis ball, hurling ball, lacrosse ball, basketball, netball, newcomb ball, pelota mixteca, racquet Ball, sepak takraw ball, shinty ball, tchoukball, or tee ball.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein the vacuum generated by the vacuum generating equipment is in the range of −40 kPa to −80 kPa measured at the ball. 